Former Emerging Scholar Kristina Bowdrie brings her journey full circle at CWRU
The first time Kristina Bowdrie, PhD (CWR ’17), walked through the doors of ӰƵ, she was a nervous first-year student hoping to find her footing. Twelve years later, she’s walking those halls again—this time as a mentor, researcher and assistant professor.
For Bowdrie, who began her first semester as an assistant professor in the communication sciences program this fall, the return feels deeply personal.
“The mentorship I had at CWRU built the foundation for the rest of my career,” she said. “Coming back as faculty, I want to bring the best parts of my experience to my students.”
Bowdrie’s journey began through the Nord Family Emerging Scholars Program (ESP), an initiative designed to support first-generation college students throughout their time at CWRU. The program starts with a summer bridge session to prepare students for campus life. At first, Bowdrie was hesitant—unsure if she wanted to give up part of her summer for classes and workshops. But what began as an obligation quickly became a transformative experience.
“I felt so much more confident starting my first semester because of ESP,” she said. “I knew where my classes were, what to expect academically and—maybe most importantly—that I had a network of people to lean on.”
Through Nord Family ESP, Bowdrie connected with mentors such as Stephen Haynesworth, PhD (GRS ’87, biology), the program’s director and an associate professor of biology; and Arthur Evenchik, Nord Family ESP coordinator and assistant to the dean for special projects in the College of Arts and Sciences, both of whom helped her build confidence and navigate the challenges of being a first-generation college student.
Those relationships would prove pivotal just a year later, when Bowdrie began to question whether her original plan to major in psychology was the right fit. Through her mentors, Bowdrie was connected to Professor of Communications Sciences Lauren Calandruccio, PhD, who helped inspire her path toward audiology—a perfect blend of Bowdrie’s interests in psychology, biology and human connection.
Bowdrie quickly immersed herself in the discipline, joining Calandruccio’s lab and learning how hearing and speech interventions could transform lives. Those early experiences not only shaped her academic interests, but also sparked a passion for research and mentorship.
“I had people who supported me when I didn’t always know what I was doing,” she said. “They saw potential in me before I saw it in myself, and that really influences how I approach my work and my students now.”
After completing her undergraduate degree at CWRU, Bowdrie earned both a clinical doctorate in audiology and her PhD in speech and hearing science from The Ohio State University, where she continued building her expertise in aural rehabilitation. Her research began to focus on how family systems and social environments affect clinical outcomes for individuals navigating hearing loss.
Now back on campus as faculty, Bowdrie’s research continues to explore those intersections between hearing, family systems and quality of life. But she’s just as passionate about striving to create the same kind of supportive environment she experienced as an undergraduate.
“I never want to lose sight of what it felt like to be a student here—to be nervous, curious and overwhelmed,” she reflected. “I always want to meet students where they are.”
For Bowdrie, returning to ӰƵ isn’t just the next step in her career—it’s a way to give back to the community that helped her grow.
“It truly feels like a full-circle moment,” she said. “When I was an undergrad, I was on the receiving end of incredible mentorship. Now, I get to pay that forward to the next generation of students.”
